


The Greatest Gift

by MiniNephthys



Category: Shin Megami Tensei
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-08
Updated: 2012-08-08
Packaged: 2017-11-11 16:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/480573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Kazuya's birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Greatest Gift

Kazuya doesn't like to talk much, particularly not about himself. It's a surprise when he comments, absent-mindedly, "It's my birthday today."

"Happy birthday," Yuji says, patting him on the back. "You should have told us sooner, we would've gotten you a present."

Kazuya shakes his head. "I don't want anyone to make a big fuss over it. Forget I brought it up."

"But-" Yuji starts.

"It's fine."

Yuji looks over at Takeshi at the opposite end of the room, who motions for Yuji to come over. He does, and drops his voice enough that Kazuya can't hear. "We can't just get him nothing."

"Of course we're getting him something," Takeshi answers. "We just have to be smart about it. If he doesn't want cake and ice cream then we'll figure out a way to give him a gift without him noticing it."

"You've put a lot of thought into this." Yuji sounds impressed.

Takeshi rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "That's about where my ideas run out. Have you got anything?"

Yuji shakes his head.

"Damn."

The two of them reconvene at the nearest bar, where they can discuss ideas more animatedly.

"We could fuse him a demon," Takeshi suggests. "Recruit all the component demons for him and just go 'yeah, we picked up this badass demon while we were out'."

"We fuse demons all the time," Yuji says. "Besides, since we're all a team, that's more of a gift to all of us than to him. What about buying him something practical? New armor?"

"Too obvious and we share all our money anyway. Besides, we're going for a stealth gift here." Takeshi thinks. "I'd say introduce him to a nice girl, but there's Yuka, and besides, that stalker chick might kill her. What if we got him wasted and-"

"I don't like any idea that begins with that." Yuji sighs. "We could cook for him."

"Do you know how to cook?" Takeshi asks.

"No. I was hoping you did."

"Can barely flip an egg. That would've been a great idea otherwise." Pause. "Our demons might know how. Maybe."

Takeshi raises an eyebrow. "Does that even count as a gift from us?"

"You're right..." Takeshi frowns severely and goes back to his drink.

Time passes. Other ideas are suggested and shot down. Even when it's starting to get dark, no progress has been made.

The door to the bar opens and Kazuya walks up to them. "What are you two up to?"

"Wh- nothing!" says Takeshi. It sounds a little like a yelp.

"Nothing at all." Yuji fidgets with his shirt collar. "What have you been doing?"

Kazuya shrugs. "Nothing special. I thought I'd restock our supplies. Now, really, tell me what's going on."

"Why do you think there's something going on?" Yuji asks, still fidgeting. "There could be nothing going on here besides alcohol and male bonding."

"You two? Spending the whole day together willingly? Something's up." Kazuya crosses his arms. "You're both terrible liars, by the way."

They hang their heads and sigh in unison. "We were trying to think of something to get you for your birthday," Takeshi says. "But we couldn't think of anything."

"Nothing was good enough for you. We're very sorry," Yuji says.

"...So, let me get this straight. You two were working together the whole day? And you didn't break out into a fight or anything?" Kazuya asks. "Not even an argument?"

"Well, yeah. You're our friend, even if we can't stand each other half the time." Takeshi considers that. "More than half."

"Then that's the best gift you could've gotten me." Kazuya slips his arms around their shoulders. "C'mon, let's go back. It's getting late."

Yuji and Takeshi share a confused look, but follow the smiling Kazuya without a single complaint.


End file.
